It ended as it began, with a three-game losing streak. In between the Pittsburgh Steelers went 8-2 and were a remarkable underdog story. But in the end it was all for naught as Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for a second straight season.
Now that we’ve had a few days to unpack all that was a tumultuous season on all levels, we wanted to talk about we feel now that the dust has settled.
When we saw Ben Roethlisberger go down with his elbow injury, we were sure the season was over. There was no way this team could remain competitive without Big Ben.
And when the team was 1-4, it seemed there was no hope. But then the team went on a tear going 7-1 and giving everyone a renewed feeling that this team could be a team of destiny.
Then a three-game losing streak to end the season literally ended the season. No playoffs for a second straight season and more questions than answers going into the offseason.
How do we characterize this season? Success or failure? This might not be the popular opinion but I view this season as a failure. It was an opportunity to beat the formula, prove that defenses can still win championships in a league dominated by offense and solidify head coach Mike Tomlin’s place in the league.
But you couldn’t beat the Jets. This will be the defining moment in the season for me. Losing to a woeful Jets team which took the path to the playoffs out of the Steelers hands was crushing. And for all the good things that happened last season, many which will be built on in 2020, the Jets game will be what I remember most.
